North

Alaska Highway reopens after tanker crash and fuel spill

The Alaska Highway is now open to travellers after a tanker crash and fuel spill closed the road west of Rancheria Lodge for most of the day Tuesday.

Highway closed west of Watson Lake for most of the day Tuesday

Traffic was lining up at points on the Alaska Highway Tuesday while people waited for the highway to reopen. The road is now open, Yukon 511 reports. (Philippe Morin/CBC)

The Alaska Highway is now open to travellers after a tanker crash and fuel spill closed the road west of Rancheria Lodge for most of the day Tuesday.

The highway re-opened Tuesday around 7:30 p.m. 

Though the road is open, workers are directing traffic near the site, about 125 kilometres west of Watson Lake, Yukon 511 reports. Travellers can still expect delays of about 20 or 30 minutes.

The two fuel tankers at kilometre 1,105 on the Alaska Highway just west of the Rancheria Lodge Tuesday. Yukon 511 reports the road is now open to travellers. (RCMP)
Approximately 20,000 litres of fuel spilled in the crash Monday night, Yukon's environment department said in a media release Monday.

RCMP said the driver is expected to survive their injuries, but was taken to the hospital. 

Yukon 511 reports that the Alaska Highway has reopened at the site of a tanker crash and fuel spill. (Yukon 511)